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I have been experiencing itchy skin on my body for about 2 months. I initially thought I had some sort of fungus...essentially athletes foot or similar...but the symptoms were not localized in the "usual" places. My skin is not dry and I don't have obvious visible signs except irritation caused by scratching. Although the symptoms vary in intensity, the itching can be quite severe-to the point that it keeps me from sleeping and is a very big distraction when I'm awake. I am scratching my skin to the point that my skin is becoming very irritated-even causing minor bleeding. I visited a dermatologist who was not able to identify any obvious cause such as dermatitis, scabies or the like. The doctor prescribed an antihistamine but that only provides modest relief if any. I take a couple of medications but I have been taking them for a very long time...in one case for years...and have never had any similar response before. As such, the doctor does not think the symptoms are caused by an allergic reaction to medicine. I'm at about my wits end. The symptoms are extremely annoying. I'd appreciate any advice on what I might do to understand the cause and treat this.

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48 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:Itching all over body without obvious rash or causeI have been experiencing itchy skin on my body for about 2 months. I initially thought I had some sort of fungus...essentially athletes foot or similar...but the symptoms were not localized in the "usual" places. My skin is not dry and I don't have obvious visible signs except irritation caused by scratching. Although the symptoms vary in intensity, the itching can be quite severe-to the point that it keeps me from sleeping and is a very big distraction when I'm awake. I am scratching my skin to the point that my skin is becoming very irritated-even causing minor bleeding. I visited a dermatologist who was not able to identify any obvious cause such as dermatitis, scabies or the like. The doctor prescribed an antihistamine but that only provides modest relief if any. I take a couple of medications but I have been taking them for a very long time...in one case for years...and have never had any similar response before. As such, the doctor does not think the symptoms are caused by an allergic reaction to medicine. I'm at about my wits end. The symptoms are extremely annoying. I'd appreciate any advice on what I might do to understand the cause and treat this.

My daughter had a itch on the back of her neck that was so bad she scratched until she bleed. I also developed an itch on the back of my scalp. Then the itching spread to our entire bodies and for myself a feminine itch that never responded to medicines. It became overwhelming and I thought I should make an appointment. I decided to make a few changes before calling the doctor. I realized that the scalp itching started with a new shampoo that was heavily scented. I have been using unscented laundry soap for years and unscented body wash. I searched and found unscented shampoo, conditioner and toilet paper. Within 2 days the itching was gone. My daughter instantly had results and has not scratched or complained of itchig since. I recently tried the new Costco 'natural' scent body wash, it has no added fragrance and we haven't itched with that. Good luck and read labels on even items that claim to be for sensitive skin, most of those contain fragrance and will cause itching. Oh, and the worst offender for me was shaving creme. The only unscented I can find for shaving creme is in the mens isle at Target or the Aveeno (again, read the ingredient list).

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Report This| Share this:Itching all over body without obvious rash or causeMy daughter had a itch on the back of her neck that was so bad she scratched until she bleed. I also developed an itch on the back of my scalp. Then the itching spread to our entire bodies and for myself a feminine itch that never responded to medicines. It became overwhelming and I thought I should make an appointment. I decided to make a few changes before calling the doctor. I realized that the scalp itching started with a new shampoo that was heavily scented. I have been using unscented laundry soap for years and unscented body wash. I searched and found unscented shampoo, conditioner and toilet paper. Within 2 days the itching was gone. My daughter instantly had results and has not scratched or complained of itchig since. I recently tried the new Costco 'natural' scent body wash, it has no added fragrance and we haven't itched with that. Good luck and read labels on even items that claim to be for sensitive skin, most of those contain fragrance and will cause itching. Oh, and the worst offender for me was shaving creme. The only unscented I can find for shaving creme is in the mens isle at Target or the Aveeno (again, read the ingredient list).

Sorry for going on and on, but this really is something I deal with.If you use fabric softener in your wash, stop, it leaves a chemical on the fabric that causes terrible itching. I even heard a peditrician give this advice to another parent. I have known I react to it since I was 16 and stopped using it.

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Report This| Share this:Itching all over body without obvious rash or causeSorry for going on and on, but this really is something I deal with.If you use fabric softener in your wash, stop, it leaves a chemical on the fabric that causes terrible itching. I even heard a peditrician give this advice to another parent. I have known I react to it since I was 16 and stopped using it.

I'm not sure if you're the same person who posted "itch but no rash" but I just responded to another person's post regarding this exact issue. Please have a look at my response to that post. I hope this might help.

I'm not sure if you're the same person who posted "itch but no rash" but I just responded to another person's post regarding this exact issue. Please have a look at my response to that post. I hope this might help.

I was being driven insane by an overall body itch without rash, unable to correlate food, vital functions such as blood pressure, to the outbreaks. I went to several specialists without help but an allergy doc took one look at my list of meds which included 8 he said could cause severe itching. Pain meds from a recent knee replacement was top of the list, going cold turkey off morphine was nuts but the itching was worse. turns out it was an anti-biotic nitrofuron, that was the problem. I get UTIs very easily, but my tching was a drug side-affect not an allergy. The Allergist was the key. He took an hour going over each med and an alternative I could use. It was a complicated problem, but I no longer itch, go without sleep for days, and understand my body doesn't like the harsh medicines I have been prescribed. I had been taking up residence in the bath tub where I found the old reliefs of evaporated milk,soda and oatmeal followed by eucherin cream, cold towells, and an ever blowing fan. (getting cold and staing slathered in skin cream, after soaking in the tub about 30 minutes, had been my only refuge. Prednisone worked occasionally but it has such terrible side affects, I kept going to doctors to avoid it. my complete sympathy to anyone who itches! Give me pain any day!

Thanks for your Reply!

Report This| Share this:Itching all over body without obvious rash or causeI was being driven insane by an overall body itch without rash, unable to correlate food, vital functions such as blood pressure, to the outbreaks. I went to several specialists without help but an allergy doc took one look at my list of meds which included 8 he said could cause severe itching. Pain meds from a recent knee replacement was top of the list, going cold turkey off morphine was nuts but the itching was worse. turns out it was an anti-biotic nitrofuron, that was the problem. I get UTIs very easily, but my tching was a drug side-affect not an allergy. The Allergist was the key. He took an hour going over each med and an alternative I could use. It was a complicated problem, but I no longer itch, go without sleep for days, and understand my body doesn't like the harsh medicines I have been prescribed. I had been taking up residence in the bath tub where I found the old reliefs of evaporated milk,soda and oatmeal followed by eucherin cream, cold towells, and an ever blowing fan. (getting cold and staing slathered in skin cream, after soaking in the tub about 30 minutes, had been my only refuge. Prednisone worked occasionally but it has such terrible side affects, I kept going to doctors to avoid it. my complete sympathy to anyone who itches! Give me pain any day!

Thanks Doctor for adding your expertice to this. I'm was raised by a wise grandma who "caught babies", pulled teeth, and grew her own medicine plants. I am on many prescribed meds, enjoyed fabric softner, gardened with chemicals, all the modern convienences but am now re-learning what I was taught as a child. A good diet, excercise, treats in moderation and while I don't use "lamb's ears (leaves) for band-aids smeared with honey as an anti-biotic, nor suck on a bag of sulfer tied with a string around my neck to "thin my blood" I am learning that my body just doesn't need or like fabric softner, processed foods and many quaint practices like milk baths for itching have their place in modern life. She used a membrane from crab shells to stem bleeding, taught by fishermen, and the military is now using it in surgeries. She wasn't a genius (I still hate bowl hair cuts!) but she observed from native americans, cooking with more foods than I can count, gardened into her 90s, putting food by, and sharing joy and food all her life. I'm trying to recreate some of her medicines and recipes for the future gen. Our Mom set such stock in hospitals and pharmacies, no one kept her books when she died, or lost them. There is room for both seems to me!

Thanks for your Reply!

Report This| Share this:Itching all over body without obvious rash or causeThanks Doctor for adding your expertice to this. I'm was raised by a wise grandma who "caught babies", pulled teeth, and grew her own medicine plants. I am on many prescribed meds, enjoyed fabric softner, gardened with chemicals, all the modern convienences but am now re-learning what I was taught as a child. A good diet, excercise, treats in moderation and while I don't use "lamb's ears (leaves) for band-aids smeared with honey as an anti-biotic, nor suck on a bag of sulfer tied with a string around my neck to "thin my blood" I am learning that my body just doesn't need or like fabric softner, processed foods and many quaint practices like milk baths for itching have their place in modern life. She used a membrane from crab shells to stem bleeding, taught by fishermen, and the military is now using it in surgeries. She wasn't a genius (I still hate bowl hair cuts!) but she observed from native americans, cooking with more foods than I can count, gardened into her 90s, putting food by, and sharing joy and food all her life. I'm trying to recreate some of her medicines and recipes for the future gen. Our Mom set such stock in hospitals and pharmacies, no one kept her books when she died, or lost them. There is room for both seems to me!

I have had the same thing It is driving me crazy....especially not knowing what it is. Every part of my body is itchy except for my feet and hands. My face is swollen. I know it is internal but I am not eating or doing anything different. I just ran out of my steriods, not that they were helping much. Nothing seems to ease it. This has been going on for 8 days now. Did you ever figure out what this was? PLEASE HELP!

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Report This| Share this:Itching all over body without obvious rash or causeI have had the same thing It is driving me crazy....especially not knowing what it is. Every part of my body is itchy except for my feet and hands. My face is swollen. I know it is internal but I am not eating or doing anything different. I just ran out of my steriods, not that they were helping much. Nothing seems to ease it. This has been going on for 8 days now. Did you ever figure out what this was? PLEASE HELP!

interesting..... I'm going through the same issue. Itchy from my scalp down to my ankles (excluding my hands and feet). I was on nitrofuron buy this was three weeks ago and this unbelievable itching did not start until last week. Did you have this reaction while taking the antibiotic or after taking it. Please help

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Report This| Share this:Itching all over body without obvious rash or causeinteresting..... I'm going through the same issue. Itchy from my scalp down to my ankles (excluding my hands and feet). I was on nitrofuron buy this was three weeks ago and this unbelievable itching did not start until last week. Did you have this reaction while taking the antibiotic or after taking it. Please help

Even I'm having entire body itching since 6 months and taking medicines prescribed by Docs. But no good results. The medicines are controlling the itch, but its not curing. If i stop taking the medicines for 2 or 3 days, automatically it starts again. Just getting irritated a lot. Unable to go free anywhere. Because can't scratch in the public.The tablets i followed and still following are as below,1.Zeez2.Ebast3.Le-MonEverything is controlling the itch but not curing completely.Friends, please suggest me any good medicine that cure this whole body itching. Thank you.

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Report This| Share this:Itching all over body without obvious rash or causeEven I'm having entire body itching since 6 months and taking medicines prescribed by Docs. But no good results. The medicines are controlling the itch, but its not curing. If i stop taking the medicines for 2 or 3 days, automatically it starts again. Just getting irritated a lot. Unable to go free anywhere. Because can't scratch in the public.The tablets i followed and still following are as below,1.Zeez2.Ebast3.Le-MonEverything is controlling the itch but not curing completely.Friends, please suggest me any good medicine that cure this whole body itching. Thank you.

Hi! I think that you really need a professional opinion- I 've been looking for a great website where I can get help from medical professionals and I came across HealthTap: https://www.healthtap.com/#how_it_works/for_members it allows you to ask questions for free to real doctors. This isn't some generic question and answer website... it personalizes your questions by asking your age, current conditions, and medications. I've been asking questions for a while now, and I highly recommend this if you're looking for fast and reliable answers on health issues like your itchiness!!

Thanks for your Reply!

Report This| Share this:Itching all over body without obvious rash or causeHi! I think that you really need a professional opinion- I 've been looking for a great website where I can get help from medical professionals and I came across HealthTap: https://www.healthtap.com/#how_it_works/for_members it allows you to ask questions for free to real doctors. This isn't some generic question and answer website... it personalizes your questions by asking your age, current conditions, and medications. I've been asking questions for a while now, and I highly recommend this if you're looking for fast and reliable answers on health issues like your itchiness!!

I used to work at an allergy office. Have you tried anything for scabies, we would see a lot of people come in to our office where regular Dr. s just had no clue what was going on with the patient it could possibly be scabies and it wouldn't hurt to try some scabies relief and see if it helps.

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Report This| Share this:Itching all over body without obvious rash or causeI used to work at an allergy office. Have you tried anything for scabies, we would see a lot of people come in to our office where regular Dr. s just had no clue what was going on with the patient it could possibly be scabies and it wouldn't hurt to try some scabies relief and see if it helps.

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